The Invite, That Wasn't
by JackiLeigh
Summary: A piece of fluff that addresses a minor issue the show never did. I love 'What Ifs' I hope you do, too.
1. Chapter 1

THE INVITE…THAT WASN'T

AN: Just a bit of fluff, a 'what might happen if….'-type story. I like those and like to write them, especially on subject the show wouldn't address. Most of the time, my bunnies take me down their trails. And I go, pretty willingly (I've got awesome plot bunnies, what can I say!) But, when I try to go my own trail, they just cross their little bunny arms, wrinkle their little bunny noses. and say, 'Really? Seriously? This is what you come up with on your own?' So, Bunny support or not, here we go! I hope you enjoy! JL

"…walking in here, likes he belongs here." Christine Bake whispered to her fellow agents Arianna Cummings and Paula Shipman as they watch Neal Caffrey enter the house following Peter and El Burke.

"Burke's OTHER plus one." Paula snickered.

"Your invite said 'agents', right?" Christine asked.

Arianna sighed. "It did." She was afraid this would happen. She had just wanted the agents and their partners, not agents, partners and CIs.

"They invite him over...to their house…for supper!" Christine stated as she watched Peter and El as they moved around the room. "Can you imagine?"

Arianna chuckled. Well, we know one thing. They must not have any valuable treasures."

The other two women chuckled, also.

"You better hide your valuables." Paula stated.

The agent nodded her agreement as all three ladies watched the Burkes and Caffrey speak to the other guests.

"It's one thing to have to work with him every day. But, do I have to have him in my home, too?" Arianna asked. "That is just too much."

The other ladies agreed.

"He assumes that since Peter is welcome, so is he." Christine said.

"He does know that he is not an agent, doesn't he?" Paula added.

Arianna shook her head. "I don't know." She then looked at the clock on the wall. "But, I do know I need to light a fire under these caterers. We should have been seated by now. They told me that they were running a little late. That's fine. These things never start on time. But, this is…. I need to go check on things. If you catch my hubby, send him to the kitchen." Arianna said as she walked away from the group.

The Burkes got around to the ladies just as Arianna walked away.

"Caterers are running late." Paula offered. "She's gone to see what's going on."

Graham and Arianna Cummings had a large, beautiful home. Graham was a doctor, a plastic surgeon. He made excellent money and provided well for his family, including a beach home in California and a mountain lodge in Colorado. Arianna loved to play the hostess. She loved showing off her home to her friends and co-workers. And, she was glad that people enjoyed her home and her company enough to keep coming back.

El nodded. "I do this for a living." She said, speaking of event planning. "It's rare that things go exactly as planned."

Peter greeted the ladies, also. Neal was not far behind. He followed Peter as the agent went off to speak to a group of men who were standing nearby.

El caught a look as it passed between the two women. She assumed that it was about Neal since the women had stopped all conversation when he approached and continued to stare at his back as he walked away. She felt anger flare. But, she tamped it down. She could not be sure of her assumption. And she was in someone else's home. She didn't want to make a scene with her husband's co-workers and underlings. She cleared her throat and excused herself. She hurried to the restroom, though she didn't have to go. She passed several groups of agents. And Neal seemed to be the topic of conversation for several of them. Though, in a way, she was kind of surprised it was not more.

Peter had said that everybody had accepted Neal. And El was sure it had appeared to him that they had. But, Peter was a superior. You don't tell your superior that you don't like, or can't work with someone he hand-picked to be on his team. You don't tell your boss a thing like that, unless you don't want your job anymore. So, they deal with him. They made nice in front of Peter and in public. But, they complained and gripped in private. There were not many people talking about Neal. But, in the few groups that were, the talk was vicious.

El was in shock by the time she reached the bathroom. She made sure she locked the door. She took a moment. Her face was red and tears were stinging her eyes. She wanted to just leave right that moment. She was so angry and hurt. It amazed her that people could be so cruel. But, she couldn't do that. She couldn't leave. She would have to explain things to Peter. And, she was not sure how he would handle the news. She didn't want to spoil everybody's evening. She just calmed herself, washed her face and reapplied her makeup before she returned to the party.

El decided she would wait and tell Peter what she had heard tonight, after they got from the party. She just hoped that she could wait that long. She didn't like to hear people talk about Neal that way. She hoped she could keep her tongue if anything else was said.

By the time El emerged, Peter was looking for her. The group was taking their seats and Peter pulled the chair out for El. The seating arrangement had Peter on one side of her, and Neal on the other. El was very glad to be close to Neal. She doubted anybody would say anything about Neal with him this close to her and Peter.

At some point during the meal, Neal had gotten up and had not returned. El didn't know how much time had passed. But, they were preparing to pass out the desserts, and one of the wait staff had asked El if it was okay to remove Neal's dinner plate. The agent's wife looked around to see if she could spot Neal. But, he was nowhere to be seen. When Neal had not returned by the time the first dessert plate hit the table, Peter and El got up and looked for him.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Neal undid his tie as he walked up the stairs. He was so glad to be out of there. He was very angry and very hurt. He threw the tie across the room and headed towards his wine rack. He pulled a bottle of his favorite and uncorked it. He sat it on the table and let it 'breathe' for a moment as he got himself a glass. He wiped his eyes and took his glass, and the bottle, out onto his balcony. He was staring out at the beautiful night sky when he heard a knock on his door. He knew who his visitors were and he drained his glass before he put it on the table and headed for the door.

Neal opened the door without a word. He moved aside to let his visitors in. El came in first.

"Neal, the things I heard…." El started, shaking her head.

Neal nodded. "I had to use the bathroom. When I came back out, I heard Agent Cummings and her husband in the kitchen. Agent Blake was there, too." He sighed. "I thought Blake liked me, at least a little. And, Cummings was always nice to me, to my face, anyway."

Peter was angry. He had not thought too much about it when he saw that Neal had left. He knew the conman hadn't really wanted to come in the first place. El had elected not to tell Peter what she had heard while they were still at the party. But, she did fill him in once they had left.

"Neal, that…." Peter shook his head. "I had no idea, Kid. I am so sorry."

Neal shook his head this time. "No, Peter, I was the one who was naïve enough to believe that these people like me." He paused. "I know most of the agent think that I should still be in prison. I know that they think I don't deserve to working in White Collar. But..." The conman shook his head again.

"I'm sorry, Neal." El said as she hugged him.

Neal managed a weak smile and he pulled away. He then poured himself another glass of wine.

"I shouldn't be surprised. And, it shouldn't hurt. But, I am. And, it does." The conman admitted, allowing the alcohol to loosen his tongue a little bit.

"We can…I'll…." Peter began to pace.

"No, Peter." Neal said. "There's nothing you CAN do. It wont change anything. But, I can do something. And, it will be 100% effective."

"What's that?" El asked.

"You can never be uninvited if you never show up in the first place." Neal stated.

Peter shook his head this time. "Those parties, dinners, are to help everybody get to know one another better, so all the agents work better as a team."

"That's just it, Peter. I'm not an agent. And, nobody is going to see me than anymore than a conman, no matter what I do." He paused. "Paula told Arianna to hid her fine works of art. How is that for team building?"

The Burkes were shocked. They didn't know how much Neal had heard. But, apparently, he had heard a great deal.

"We're…." El started.

Neal nodded, yet again. "I know. It'll be okay." He said, effectively ending the conversation.

El and Peter left. They didn't know what they could do to help the situation.

Neal showed up Monday morning, as if nothing had happened at the dinner on Friday night. Several of the agents asked him why he had left the party early. He told them that he had not felt good. They believed him. That is, the small group of agents who been those engaged in talking about Neal so harshly that night. Especially the ones whom he had overheard when he had left t he restroom to return to his seat. They knew the real reason. And, they knew that Peter would not be happy when he found out.

The guilty agent had arrived early for work. They had hoped to catch Agent Burke and talk to him and get it all resolved before the work day began. But, Peter had other plans. He purposely walked into the office at 9 a.m. He wanted to walk into the room full of agents. He wanted the entire division, including his boss, Agent Reese Hughes to know what shameful, horrible behavior that had occurred Friday night. The agents all breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't look angry. Maybe he didn't know what was going on, after all.

The time the agents had spent waiting for Peter to come to work early, so that they could talk it out, in a more private, discrete setting was in vain. And, they had one last hope, before Peter had the chance to call them up for any meeting. Agents Blake and Cummings waited until they say Neal go into the break room. They then followed him in. The two women didn't say anything for a moment. They just watched him.

Arianna stepped forward. I just…I just wanted to thank you for…."

Neal shook his head. "Don't thank me, Agent Cummings. Peter knows." He said as he stirred the sugar and cream into his coffee.

Both women were shocked and a bit speechless for a few seconds.

"But, he…." Christine started. She had seen Burke walk in. He had not looked angry.

"I'm sorry for it all, Neal. I just…I'm sorry." Arianne said.

"You got me!" Neal admitted.

"What…what do you mean?" Agent Christine Blake asked.

"You conned a conman." The CI stated. "Congratulations!"

"Neal, I…." Arianna shook her head.

"You both had me thinking that you might be starting to like me. You fooled me, Agent Cummings, Agent Blake. Congrats!" Neal said, then left the breakroom and headed back to his desk.

They were not used to the formality from Neal. He had called them by their first names in the past, and they had not minded it. But this, this was never their intention. They regretted ALL that they had said at the dinner party. And, they wanted Neal to know that.

Both women followed Neal to his desk.

"And, you don't have to worry." Neal stopped and turned around to face them. "I've come up with a sure-fire way not to have a repeat of last Friday night."

"What are you…?" Christine asked.

"If I never show up, I never have to leave." Neal replied.

"Neal?" Arianna pleaded.

"Look, I don't doubt that you are sorry." Neal clarified. "You're sorry that Peter's heard about what happened. But, I don't believe you lost any sleep over what you said about me."

That's not…." Agent Blake tried to explain.

"It's true, Agent Blake, Agent Cummings." Neal stated. "And, it's okay. I get it. Peter doesn't fully trust me. Why should you? But, I am here helping the department because I want to be here. I help you solve cases. And, I've been an asset to this division, whether you choose to see it or not."

Neal continued to his desk, and the agents followed him. "And, you don't have to worry about me being Peter's 'other' plus one anymore."

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The women stood at the conman's desk as he chose a file, opened it, and go to work. They had no idea Neal had heard as much as he had. They were shocked. And they soon got the hint and left him alone as he ignored them.

Peter had talked to Neal about what had happened. He and El had gone over to the mansion right after the party. They wanted to see what state of mind he was in. And they wanted him to know that they understood why he left.

Peter had wanted to give his agents time to confess. That was another reason he had wanted to skip the meeting. Not having a meeting would keep them on their toes. It was a break from their normal routine, and it would keep them wondering what would happen next. And he had to act as if he didn't know anything so that they could come to him and tell him what they had done. But, that had not happened. No one had come into his office to confess Monday. Nobody had come in to talk about the party at all. And, if he was completely honest with himself, he was very, very disappointed with his agents.

Tuesday morning, however, was a different story. Peter walked in to White Collar. He went straight to his office and put down his briefcase. He hung his jacket on the back of his chair. He then called all the agents into the conference room. He also called his boss Hughes to sit in and listen. Reese had asked Peter what was going on in the office. All day Monday had seemed off to him. The older agent had picked up on the subdued atmosphere.

Peter wanted Reese to know the reason for the change. He wanted the older agent to know what had happened at the party, and how the agents had treated Neal. Despite how Agent Hughes acted, he really did like Neal. And he appreciated the use of CIs in their work. He had been a handler, earlier in his career. And, Hughes considered Caffrey to be one of the best cons he had ever had the pleasure of working with.

Peter had not told Reese too much. He still hoped the agents would confess to him, and now, to Hughes. But, Burke had pretty much given up on that idea.

The agents were nervous. They figured out, too late, why Agent Burke had not said anything Monday. He was trying to give them an opportunity to confess. Now, with Hughes in the room, it was just going to be horrible and very embarrassing. Plus, they didn't know what Neal had told Peter. They had no idea of who the conman heard talking or what that person had said.

Peter waited until Reese sat down before he started.

"I am disappointed." Peter started. "I know that it was my decision to bring Neal Caffrey on board. And, I know many of you didn't like that. I got that. Neal gets it. And, he was at the party because I asked him to come. Not because he was looking forward to it. And, not because he even wanted to go. He told me he wouldn't feel welcome." The lead agent said as he paced the front of the room. "But…but I told him that he was wrong because this was a party for the whole division. And since he was a part of the White Collar Division, he would be welcome. Well, as it turns out. I was wrong. I actually thought that you all had accepted his place. And, I thought that you could see the value of having him on board." He paused. "I guess that that was not the case."

Several of the agents shifted in their seats. Very few were able to look Peter in the eye as he looked around the room. Peter sighed. "I'll tell you what, There are some of you who are not guilty here. Those of you who are NOT finding the carpet immensely fascinating, at the moment, you may leave now and get back to work."

Five agents got up and left the room.

Peter waited until they were gone before he spoke again. What happened Friday night was unacceptable. The things I was told. The things I heard said. They were vicious. They were uncalled for. And they were beneath the level of the agents in this division." He paused. "So…I can only assume that some of you no longer want to work here. Am I correct?"

Peter stopped talking and waited to see if anyone's hand would pop up. He knew that that would not be the case. He wanted the agents to realize how seriously he was taking the matter.

"And just so you know so that there will be no questions later…Neal didn't tell me what happened. El did. She heard several of you talking on her way back from the bathroom. She didn't tell me until after we left the party because she didn't know how I would react. And she didn't want to ruin everyone's evening. Neal had jus slipped out and went home. I didn't even realize he was gone until the waitress came over to El and asked her if she could take Neal's dinner plate away. The plate looked like it had barely been touched. But now, having heard the things that Neal heard…I'm…I'm angry."

Peter took several deep breaths. He was trying to calm himself before he spoke again. "I wanted to take disciplinary action…maybe a demotion, reduction in pay. Things like that. But, apparently and luckily for you, I'm not able to make those decisions. Plus, your infraction is not severe enough to warrant it. Therefore, Agent Hughes has given me permission to arrange my own punishment."

"As you may know, there has been talk of opening up a Cold-Case Division, exclusively for White Collar. Well, we now have volunteers to man that division." Peter stated.

Peter's 'volunteers' all groaned.

"This will be a 6-week probationary period to see how and if the division can function. We want to see how many people we will need to staff the office. Things like that." Peter said, savoring the moment. "And, my new 'volunteers' will report to the Basement Achieves tomorrow morning at 8 a.m. sharp."

There were no questions or movement in the conference room. The agents were still trying to process this drastic change in their work employment.

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

It took no time to notice the difference at the morning meetings. Neal's usual commentary was completely absent. He answered questions and spoke when spoken to, he disappeared into the background when not.

"I wish you hadn't done that." Neal sighed when Peter told him the agents' punishment.

Peter just looked at Neal as he helped his wife set the table for dinner.

"They are going to blame me." Neal replied.

Peter shook his head. "I told them that El overheard them, not you." He paused. "I made it very clear."

"That doesn't mean that they won't give me a hard time." Neal eyed the bottle of wine he brought with him.

"Just let me know…." Peter said, handing him the corkscrew.

"You're not the principal. And, I'm not a 5-years-old child."

"You are not 'tattling,' Neal." Peter replied. "There is no way for you to retaliate against their unfair treatment and not, possibly be sent back to prison." He paused. "That is where I come in."

"It feels like that is exactly what I would be doing." Neal said as he sat and sipped his wine.

"It's not." Peter said firmly.

Neal didn't say anything. He just sipped his wine.

"Neal,…." El started.

Neal shook his head. "I understand. And, I do appreciate it. Agents, grown people, should not be able to get away with acting like that. But, still…."

"You've got to admit. The punishment was good." Peter replied.

Neal nodded. He knew that being assigned to cold cases is what a lot of departments did as a last resort for agents, and cops, who were headed out the door. It has been and will be the 'death nail' for many a career.

"Can you run the rest of While Collar with most of the agents working cold cases?" Neal asked. He had noticed when only about 5 agents had left the conference room at the beginning of the meeting.

Peter nodded. "It's doable. It's going to be a rough 6 weeks. But, we will be able to handle it. Jones and Diana might not be too happy with me when it's all over. We'll make it."

Neal managed to groan as he drank his wine.

######

The next 6 weeks were, indeed, challenging. All members of the White Collar division were working overtime. Even Neal spend a few late nights in the office. He wondered, several times, if it had been worth it. Peter and the other agents were salaried. They got paid the same, no matter how many long nights that they had to put in. He was salaried, too, in a way. He worked the hours he had to work to help solve the cases. The was not given extra for overtime.

On most of his late nights, June was nice enough to have a meal brought up and put in his fridge. All he had to do as warm it and eat. He was so immensely grateful to June for that. He had no works. It was jut all he could do to eat and shower. Then he would drag himself into bed.

The long hours were having the same effect on Peter. He would come home, drop his briefcase, kiss El, eat, shower then fall int bed, thoroughly exhausted.

"How much longer is this going to last, Peter?" El asked as she crawled into bed beside her husband. She pulled the covers up as he turned towards her and opened his eyes.

"What is it, Hon?" Peter asked, wiping the sleep out of his eyes.

El sighed. "I asked you how much longer is this going to last?"

"Three weeks, 15 days." Peter replied.

"You're counting down?"

"Absolutely!"

"Do you regret the punishment?" El asked.

Peter sighed. "Not entirely."

"What does that mean?"

"They had no business treating Neal the way that they did. And, if I had not done anything, they would have gotten away with it." Peter explained. "I couldn't allow that. Neal's more than a conman. He's got a good heart, and he's got feelings. It wasn't fair." He paused. "But, on the other hand, it has been hell in the office!"

"How's Neal been…?" El had not seen or talked to Neal since they had begun working the long hours.

"He's really stepped up and helped out." Peter replied. "He's showing me how grateful he is."

"You're working this weekend, right?"

Peter shook his head.

"Dear God!" El murmured.

Peter just looked at her.

"The Preston-Greer wedding."

Peter had forgotten all about it. One of his friends in the FBI, Gary Preston, was getting married. He was marrying Catherine Greer. Neither Peter or El liked the women. She wore way too much makeup and acted as if she had come from money, just because her father owned a successful import, export business. They were upper middle class. But, they were far, far from being mansion people.

"She wanted you as a bridesmaid." Peter reminded her.

El nodded, images of neon taffeta flashed in her mind. It made her cringe. "He wanted you to be best man." She said as she grabbed her phone. "She sent me picture of the choices. Each one more hideous and horrendous than the one before."

"Wow! That's…yikes!" Peter said as she looked at the pics. "I'm sorry, Hon. I'm sorry you even have to look at those pictures. But, I hate to skip out on him like that." Peter admitted. "I was hoping he would…." He didn't want to say, 'see her for the horrible person that she was.' But that was what it amounted to.

El sighed as she placed her phone on her bedside table. "Well, he knows the job you have. That you could be called it to work at any time. And that this is not nine to five. So, you have a very believable excuse."

Peter propped himself up on his elbow and looked at his wife. "So, you want me to go into work, on a weekend, so that we don't have to go to this wedding?"

"Yes, please." El said, sheepishly.

"Neal is not going to like this." Peter stated.

"Neal doesn't have to come in." El said.

"I have to work, all by myself, on a Saturday afternoon?" Peter asked.

"Do you really want to go to that wedding?"

Peter sighed. "I guess I have to work all by myself on a Saturday afternoon."

El nodded and patted his shoulder. "I've trained you well."

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Arianna Cummings and a couple of other agents had come into the office Saturday. They were not there to work. The best and probably actually the only good thing about working cold cases is that it was a Monday-Friday job. No weekends. No late hours. The agents were there to pick up things they needed from their desks. Since this was not going to be a permanent move, for most of them. They just took items with them that they thought that they were need. Turns out the other office was just a big room full of empty desks. They needed everything.

The agents knew White Collar had the weekend off. They had wanted to just get the items they needed and get out of the building. They were surprised that their card keys for the elevator still worked. They hurried on the elevator and pressed the floor for the office, anxious to get there and finish their tasks. They were inside before they realized that they were not alone.

Peter stepped out of the breakroom when he heard the door open. He normally would not hear that type thing. But, with the office being so eerily quiet, it seemed he heard everything. It was actually really spooky.

"Peter!" Arianna said, surprised by his sudden appearance.

Agent Burke just looked at the group of 3 women for a moment. "The Cold Case Division does not have weekend hours." He stated.

The members of the group nodded. That was the one, and only one, thing that they liked about this particular assignment.

"We're here to get our office supplies." Agent Paula Shipman quickly explained. "That office didn't even have a paper clip. And we have to borrow a printer from Homicide."

"Homeland had a few extra chairs they could give us." Agent Blake stated.

"Supply actually brought us toner cartridges and paper." Agent Shipman added. "They felt sorry for us after they visited us the first time with the paper and brought us a few things."

"You could have made a list and sent me the authorization form." Peter replied.

Nobody said anything for a moment. Then Agent Cummings spoke up. "We just figured that you knew how things were. And that that was part of our punishment…to get all the things we needed on our own."

"I had no idea what was there. I hadn't been in that area for years." Peter admitted.

The agent hurried their desks and got what they needed. Peter started up the stairs to his office as the agents headed out the door. But Arianna stopped him. She waited until the other agents left the office.

"Can we go up to the conference room?" Agent Cummings asked.

Peter nodded.

Arianne followed Peter up to his office and then into the conference room. She didn't speak until he closed the door and then took a seat across from her at the conference table.

"I…I'm so ashamed it took me so long to come and talk to you, Peter." Arianna shook her head. "Neal has been nothing but kind to me. He's…he knows so much about art. And he's…so intelligent. It's…it's pretty intimidating when a con is so much smarter than…."

Peter shook his head and smiled. "Neal is just well-read, and he's not a good memory."

"What aren't you telling me?" Arianna asked. She was puzzled that Peter had not mentioned Neal's education. "The man had degree's. He's…."

Peter didn't say anything.

"Did he forge his degrees?" Arianna asked.

Peter never uttered a sound.

Arianna laughed. "Did he graduate high school?"

Peter still didn't say anything.

"Wow! His IQ must be off the charts!"

"He's never been tested." Peter replied. "But, he's higher than most, I'm sure."

"Neal never deserved to be treated the way he was, Agent Burke." The female agent stated.

Peter nodded. "That is one thing that we can agree on."

"We were…we were just talking and things got out of hand." Agent Cummings continued.

Peter remained silent, knowing she had more to say.

"I said some horrible, hateful, vicious things. He, Caffrey, didn't deserve that."

"No, he didn't. He's done good work for us. We've solved cases we could have, had he not been here." Peter reminded her.

Agent Cummings nodded. The young man amazed her with his ability to just be able to read and file and figure out the scheme involved. She hated to admit it. But, she was jealous.

Arianna was quiet.

"Do you think he will listen to an apology?"

Peter shrugged. "I don't know."

Agent Cummings stood. "I'm going to try, Peter. He's worth the effort."

The lead agent nodded. "I'm glad you finally see it."

The female agent smiled. "The other agents will be coming to talk to you soon. It's just that nobody wanted to be first."

"You're still going to have to finish out your 6 weeks." Peter told her.

Arianna replied. "I know. We deserve it."

"Tell the others I'll be waiting." Peter said as he watched her leave.

"Good morning, Neal." Agent Arianna Cummings said as she waited by the elevators outside the White Collar offices.

"Agent Cummings." Neal said, watching the agent and wondering what is was she wanted.

"I just…." Arianna started, quickly losing nerve. Neal's formalness had thrown her.

"Don't worry. I'll never crash another of your dinner parties again."

The female agent shook her head. "What I said was wrong. It was horrible and inexcusable. But, I am…I'm asking for forgiveness. Whether you forgive me or not, I need to apologize." She paused and sighed. ""As I said, there is no excuse. I can't make it up to you. But, I do hope that we can get past this."

Neal didn't know what to say.

"I understand about the parties." Agent Cummings replied. "And I'll wait, I have a few more weeks left in the basement any way."

"I just…we'll see."

Arianna nodded. "That's all I can ask."

THE END

END NOTES: Thanks to all of you who stuck around until the end. I wanted these agents to take responsibility for their actions. I don't know if all the agents will have a change of heart. But, I do think Arianna will. I wrote her in such a way that you, my readers, might get that impression. Again, thanks for taking this ride with me. I hope my literary scenery made it worth the trip. JL


End file.
